Officials are probing how a 51-year-old highway bridge came to collapse in the Italian port city of Genoa yesterday, killing at least 26 people and injuring 16 others as it sent dozens of vehicles tumbling into a heap of concrete and twisted steel.

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C'est Bon cafe owner Astrid Kattoen was relieved by the news as business was still lagging.

"That's fantastic, it just needs to happen," she said.

"They should clear it up. There's no reason the barricades should be up because the building is gone and there's no asbestos."

The explosion left the inner-western suburb reeling. Once the community came to terms with the three deaths it caused, they then had to cope with part of Darling Street being sealed off and business slowing.

Leichhardt mayor Darcy Byrne estimated the local economy suffered a $1.5 million hit.

In response, the local council launched measures to lure Sydneysiders back to the area, including a marketing campaign titled "Rozelle Needs You - Can you shop local?"

Darling Fresh fruit and vegetable shop owner Eddie Obeid said locals had been very supportive. But everyone else seemed to stay away.

"I think people still think Darling Street is fully blocked off," he said.

"We used to get a lot of people from outside Rozelle.

"It's dramatic - the trouble it's caused, mostly the loss of life, and then the closure of the street."

An open air concert will be held in a Rozelle park on Sunday, September 21, and a street fair will be staged on Darling Street when it completely reopens.